Amusement device



Sept. 13, 1938. c. A. PHELPS AMUSEMENT DE-VICE Filed Sept. 23, 1957 2,Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 13, 1938. c, PHELPS 2,130,289

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Sept. 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept.13, 1938 1 UNITED STATES AMUSEMENT DEVICE Charles A. Phelps, Salem,Mass, .assignor vto Parker Brothers, Inc., Salem, Mass.,.a corporationof Maine Application September 23, 1937, :SeriaLNo. 165,330

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an amusement device, andiits principal objectis to provide agameor toy which involves the exercise in skill of theplayer, which, for :example, may be determined by the number of hitsmade at a given distance from a series 'of targets.

Further-objects will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription and accompanying :drawings, wherein :Figs. 1,2 :and'3arefront, rear and-end elevations, respectively, of an amusement'deviceconstructed :in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig.l2;:and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the targets.

According to the present invention my amusement device comprises aplurality of individual targets arranged in a series, and supportingmeans constructed and arranged to move the targets successively intoshooting position when the first of the series has been shot down orknocked out of position by a missile discharged from a gun, slingshot,or the like projector. This device may be used either as a toy or as agame which may be played by any number of players in competition witheach other, the object being to determine which of the players is themore accurate at a specified range. The scoring may depend upon thenumber of hits made, or the particular target hit, or both, and thewinner is the one who first attains either the greatest number ofpoints, or who first scores a predetermined total. However, it is to beunderstood that the foregoing is merely suggestive, as other methods ofprocedure will suggest themselves both for individual and competitiveplay.

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises anupstanding wall I, such as a piece of heavy fiber board, a metal panelor the like, supported by spaced feet 2 and 3, each formed with atransverse slot which receives the lower edge of the wall. The wall I isformed with an opening 5 and on its front face, surround- 5 ing theopening 5, is a scene or sketch caricaturing a farmer shooting, in thedirection of the opening 5, at a crow.

An elongate inclined slide 6 is secured to the rear face of the wall Iand extends from the upper right-hand corner (Fig. 2) downwardly towardthe left beneath the lower edge of the opening 5, the angle ofinclination of the slide being such as to permit gravity to move aseries of targets disposed on the slide successively into shootingposition, as hereinafter explained.

Theouter longitudinal edge of the slide is provided with a retainingrail 8 which extends from its upper-enddnto a point spaced from itslower end and :thednner longitudinaledge of the slide is Iflush withthe-rear surface of the wall I which provides, in :effect, a :railcooperating with the rail 33 to hold the targets in position.

The lower endof ithe slide '6 is provided with alstop zfl here'shownasan :upstanding nail or pegembeddedin the slide 6 adjacent-to its lowerend. The distance between the lowerend of the rail :8 and the stop 9approximates the width of the openingzS, the-arrangementbeing such thatthese parts are concealedwhen the device 'is viewed from the *front(Fig. 1).

Each of the targets I0 consists of a base member, such as an elongateblock of wood II whose length is slightly less than the distance betweenthe end of the rail 8 and the stop 9. The base I I is formed with alongitudinally extending groove which receives an upstandingmember I2,shaped to depict the outline of a crow, as shown in Fig. 5, or otherbird as shown at Ill in Fig. 2, it being understood that the particulardesign of the individual targets, as well as that on the face of thewall I, may be varied to conform with any scheme calculated to enhancethe appearance or salability of the device.

The targets ID are arranged in series along the slide 6 so that thefirst or lowermost target of the series engages the stop 9, in whichposition it alone registers with the opening 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and2. When the first target is removed from its position, as, for example,by being knocked out of position by a missile shot in the direction ofthe arrow (Fig. 4), it drops off the slide 6, as illustrated by the dotand dash lines of Fig. 4, whereupon gravity causes the remaining targetsin the series to move down the slide so that the next succeeding targetassumes the position of the first, and so on until the last of thetargets has been knocked out.

In using the device as a game the series of targets is first positionedin the manner shown in Fig, 2. The player is provided with a gun, suchas a repeating rifle adapted to shoot elastic bands, or a slingshot orthe like projector, and is supplied with a limited number of shots ormisssiles. After having taken the specified number of shots, the playersscore is counted, the targets are replaced and the next player takes histurn, and so on. Each target knocked out of position may for example,count one point, except one on which there is a premium, here shown asthe final target In, depicting a duckling which, for example, may countfive points. The player who attains the largest score, or who is thefirst to score a predetermined total, is the winner.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention, it isto be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustrationand that various changes in shape, proportion, and arrangement of parts,aswell as the substitution of equivalent elements for'those herein shownand described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising an upstanding wall having an openingtherein, an inclined slide secured to the rear of said wall with itslower end extending beneath said opening, a

- plurality of individual targets disposed in a series target in saidseries so as to arrest downward movement of said series and hold thefirst target in said series in registry with said opening and with itsperipheral edges spaced from the edges of said opening, said stop andslide being so constructed and arranged that when one target is knockedout of the series by a missile said series is advanced so that the nextsucceeding target in said series assumes the position of the one soknocked out.

2. An amusement device comprising an up- 5 standing wall having anopening therein, the front face of said wall depicting a natural scenewhich surrounds said opening, a plurality of individual targets eachcomprising a base member and an upstanding part depicting an animal, the1 upstanding part being of smaller size than said opening and the lengthof the base member being slightly greater than that of said upstanding 7part so that when said targets are disposed in series said upstandingparts are spaced from each 1 other, an inclined slide secured to therear of said wall with its lower end extending beneath said opening,said slide being constructed and arranged to support said targets in aseries and being disposed at an angle of inclination such as to permitgravity to move said series downwardly, and a stop adjacent to the lowerend of said slide and arranged to engage one end of the base member ofthe first target in said series, thereby to arrest downward movement ofsaid series and hold the first target in registry with said opening, andwith its peripheral edges spaced from the edges of said opening, saidstop and slide being so constructed and arranged that when one target isknocked out of said series by a missile, said series is advanced so thatthe next succeeding target in said series assumes the position of theone so knocked out.

CHARLES A. PHELPS. 3

